The champion of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Senegal, will play their first game at the World Cup in Qatar at the Al Thumama Stadium.
Sadio Mane, a forward for Bayern Munich, suffered a fibula injury against Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga earlier this month, and his absence from the World Cup, as a result, has caused Senegal a devastating blow.
Moussa Ndiaye, of Anderlecht and Senegal’s Under-20 and Under-23 team member, has been called up to replace Sadio Mane, who has been ruled out of the World Cup due to injury.
Mane, who scored two winning penalties against Egypt earlier this year to secure Senegal’s first-ever Africa Cup of Nations victory as well as a berth in Qatar, leaves a significant void in attack, with only Ismaila Sarr and Famara Diedhiou in double digits for goals scored for their national sides (10 each).
Cissé’s team is often challenging to break down, with six clean sheets in their last eight competitive matches proving to be the foundation of their recent AFCON win and World Cup qualification.
The Teranga Lions will face the Netherlands, who failed to qualify for both the 2018 World Cup in Russia and Euro 2016; they are usually regarded as the most potent footballing nation never to win the World Cup, having lost three finals in 1974, 1978, and 2010.
Despite a lack of outstanding individual quality compared to previous near misses, there is a rising belief that this could be their year to win the World Cup, and they seek triumph under experienced coach, Louis van Gaal.
Sadio Mane, their outstanding striker, has inspired the team ahead of their opening game against the Netherlands on his official Twitter handle, @SManeOfficiel, as seen by the promising editors of www.atspo.com.
He tweeted, “I would like to thank you all for your messages following my injury and to show you my gratitude. This Monday, the Senegalese will compete in the @fifaworldcup_fr. I am sure that the Lions will transcend to honor our dear country. Long live Senegal, Go Lions.”
